A Third Circuit panel of Judges held that a products liability lawsuit may continue against the global giant Amazon. Over the past couple of years, Amazon has faced products liability lawsuits and has been successful in arguing that they are not liable for products liability actions stemming from sales of their third-party sellers. While most products liability claims are typically determined by state law, Amazon’s safe haven with regards to products liability claims is now under fire in several states. Continue reading “Amazon Found Subject to Strict Products Liability”
Tag: personal injury
Second Department Grants Demand for Cell Phone Records in Motor Vehicle Accident Case
On July 24, the Appellate Division, Second Department issued a ruling upholding the denial of a protective order with respect to cell phone records. The case arose from a 2017 accident in Levittown, New York after a motor vehicle struck a pedestrian as they were crossing the street. The accident occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. The driver of the motor vehicle left the scene. They then denied any involvement in the accident. Several months later, the pedestrian brought an action against the driver to recover damages for personal injuries he allegedly sustained as a result of the accident. Continue reading “Second Department Grants Demand for Cell Phone Records in Motor Vehicle Accident Case”
Second Department Rules Against Owner of Local McDonald’s in Premises Liability Case
A unanimous panel of Second Department Justices upheld the decision of a lower court denying summary judgment in favor of the national food chain McDonald’s. The case was initially brought in the Supreme Court of Kings County after an individual was hurt in a McDonald’s main lobby. The Plaintiff was standing in line waiting to order when two women behind him began to fight. The man then attempted to break up the fight, and, following his intervention, onlookers began to assault him. The Plaintiff brought the claim against the individual for the injuries suffered, along with the owner of the local McDonald’s for a failure to provide adequate security at the subject premises. Continue reading “Second Department Rules Against Owner of Local McDonald’s in Premises Liability Case”
Second Department Reverses Trial Court’s Decision in Products Liability Case
The Appellate Division Second Department reversed an Order of the Supreme Court, Richmond County, denying the defendants’ motions for summary judgment in a products liability case. The case involved a food preparation worker at a restaurant who lost several fingers in a cheese grater. The worker intended to dislodge a piece of cheese from a cheese grater by placing his fingers in the hopper of the grater without turning it off. The plaintiff’s fingers then struck the spinning blade of the grinder, causing him to sustain the loss of several fingers. The plaintiff then commenced an action against the restaurant, its owner, as well as the distributor and seller of the meat grinder.
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First Department Expands Discovery of Social Media Accounts
Just last year, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in the case of Forman v. Henkin, that a litigant’s public posts on Facebook were subject to discovery. The decision was based on the premise that any limitation on the discovery of social media accounts would run counter to New York’s “tradition of liberal discovery.” On January 24, 2019, the First Department expanded on that premise.
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New York Courts Recognize Validity of Biomechanical Experts
In the age of developing technology, biomechanical experts have more tools at their disposal when examining how a motor vehicle accident may have occurred. In general, biomechanics is the science of how the human body responds to applied external and internal forces. In litigating a motor vehicle accident, a capable biomechanical engineer may be able to examine specific injuries and use reverse engineering to determine if the event in question caused the purported injuries.
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Second Department Finds Wantagh Bar Is Not Liable For Death from a Fight Outside of Premises
On December 26, 2018, the Appellate Division Second Department upheld the dismissal of a wrongful death suit against a Wantagh bar. The case involved a 2012 fight in a public roadway outside of Shoooters Tiki Bar & Sports Grill between a Levittown volunteer firefighter and another man. The firefighter suffered brain injuries in the fight and was in a coma for 17 days before passing. The criminal trial against the other man resulted in an acquittal due to a self-defense claim. However, the executor of the firefighter’s estate brought a civil claim against Shooters, claiming that they owed a duty to prevent harm to the firefighter.
Continue reading “Second Department Finds Wantagh Bar Is Not Liable For Death from a Fight Outside of Premises”
Facebook Posts Can Serve as Important Information in Head Injury Case
The New York State Court of Appeals recently ruled that information from an injury victim’s private Facebook account can be treated as information used in a legal action and, as such, the victim may have to offer that information to the opposing party in court. Continue reading “Facebook Posts Can Serve as Important Information in Head Injury Case”
Venue in case against Suffolk County School District is changed to Kings County
CPLR 504, in part, requires that the venue for all trials against school districts take place in the county in which the school district is located. Courts have further noted that CPLR 504 not only applies to school districts, but also to counties, cities, towns, and villages. The statute’s purpose is to safeguard municipal entities from the inconveniences that result if venue could be placed in another county. However, despite the strict statutory language, courts have held that a venue may, in fact, be changed upon a showing of special circumstances.
Continue reading “Venue in case against Suffolk County School District is changed to Kings County”
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